Trail Overview
Set within a mixed pine timber and chaparral environment recovering from the 2018 Ranch Fire in the Mendocino National Forest, Miner Spur C - FS 17N62C offers a quiet, downhill mountain trip. Accessed directly off of Miner Road - FS 17N62, this 1.2-mile out-and-back dirt spur descends along mountain slopes to provide direct access to the Miner Ridge OHV trail network. Off-road riders and campers primarily utilize this secluded path to reach connected OHV trails, stage recreational vehicles, or set up small primitive camps. The driving surface consists of a narrow single-track dirt road lined with loose shale gravel and minor earthen bumps. Departing the main road, the track winds downward beneath dappled tree cover, passing occasional cut log debris and brushy side vegetation. Near the bottom, the corridor opens slightly into a flat, dirt staging clearing at 1.2 miles that accommodates up to three vehicles for parking or turning around.
Difficulty
This single-lane dirt spur presents a smooth, predictable downhill surface with mild terrain bumps and loose surface gravel. Technical obstacles, steep rocky ledges, and deep washouts are completely absent throughout the entire 1.2-mile descent. Standard stock vehicles can comfortably traverse the route during dry seasonal conditions without needing elevated ground clearance or four-wheel drive. Drivers should simply maintain a slow, controlled speed on the downhill grade, stay centered on the established dirt track to avoid encroaching side brush, and use the flat clearing at the 1.2-mile terminus to execute a simple multi-point turnaround.
